There are 198 news items for all non archived years in our database.

Skywings News - all non archived years

Record week for HPA flight

Human powered aircraft took to the sky again in July at the 2019 BHPFC Rally at Lasham airfield. Competing for the Icarus Cup this year were 2013 champions Betterfly and three-time winners Airglow and Aerocycle. The competition offers points for short field, grass field and landing accuracy events, as well as longer duration and agility tasks including slalom and turns around a triangle.

The final results saw Team Aerocycle ahead win from Airglow and Betterfly. Kit Buchanan was the individual winner after an Aerocycle 301 flight that began with a 500m slalom and completed all three corners of a triangle (first time ever by a UK pilot), with a final duration of 6m:17s, the longest-ever duration flown in Icarus Cup competition. Jesse van Kuijk also set new Dutch duration and distance records on Aerocycle 301 (pictured).

The 2019 Icarus Cup was the most successful BHPFC competition ever. Year on year the competition heats up and scores continue to rise; teams learn better ways to strategise and complete the tasks, and pilots achieve ever-greater athletic and piloting efforts and accomplish longer and higher-scoring tasks

If you are a keen cyclist, engineer, aviation enthusiast or pilot, a student wishing to add meaningful experience to their CV or someone intrigued by what the club does, e-mail the BHPFC.

Posted: 27 August 2019
By: J. Schofield

New rules for Dolomites

The rules for free flying in the Dolomites have been further expanded to include the compulsory carriage of a red smoke bomb, available from the sports shop in Canazei. Recommended, but not compulsory, is installing the free 'Where ARE U' app on your phone (Android and OS available). The smoke bomb is to be activated in case of accident; if you see red smoke when flying, leave the area so as not to impede helicopter access.

35 bursaries were awarded in July by the Royal Aero Club Trust, enabling young air sports enthusiasts to advance their existing qualifications. In recent years the number of awards has increased following a decision to widen the eligible age range and the introduction of follow-on bursaries.

This year's recipients included two light aircraft pilots, ten glider pilots and ten skydivers ... but only one paraglider pilot - Oliver McCourty of Green Dragons. Any young flier or would-be flier reading this should take note: these bursaries represent free money for young pilots to progress their flying. The awards are of up to £1,000, the age range is from 14 to 21, and the closing date for next year's applications is March 31st.

Full details of the rules and application forms can be found on the Royal Aero Club Trust website. Applications must be submitted through a sponsoring organisation (eg the BHPA).

Posted: 27 August 2019
By: J. Schofield

John O'Groats to Land's End by paramotor

At 3.30am on Monday July 8th, BHPA member James du Pavey launched his paramotor at John O'Groats, intent on reaching Land's end in record time. In the afternoon of the next day he reached his destination having covered 1,200km and spent 24 hours airborne out of a total of 36 en route.

The flight was made to raise money for the Stoke-on-Trent based Donna Louise Children's Hospice, for which £15,000 has already been subscribed.

James suffered two engine failures en route and a third just 10km from Land's End. After his flight he reported, 'I feel unbelievably tired and ruined, but it has been incredible. However I am never, ever doing anything like this ever again!' James's two ground crew were kept busy - in addition to his 11 planned refueling stops he made three forced landings, one caused by a seized main bearing and another by a broken exhaust.

The first recorded Land's End-John O'Groats paramotor flight was made in seven days by Andy Phillips in 2000. The first known north-south flight, by John Caston, Brian Pushman, Alex Heron and Henry Glasse, took five days in 2009. And in 2016 a southbound team took six and a half days.

The Suffolk Hang Gliding club is 40 years old this year. An informal gathering is being arranged to mark the occasion in the finest tradition - in the pub.

If you flew with the club or know of someone who did, please add September 21st to your diary and RSVP to Richard Hunt.

The evening meet up will be at the Sorrel Horse at Barham, near Ipswich. The date is almost 40 years to the day that the BHGA officially recognised the Suffolk Coastal Floaters Hang Gliding Club - named in disdain for the newfangled hot ships of the day!

It is with some irony that the club is now one of the most active in the country; last year the recently-renamed Suffolk Club finished second in the UKNXCL and first on distance alone.

Posted: 8 August 2019
By: J. Schofield

Powered Paraglider Improvements Survey

Cranfield University is undertaking research into possible upgrades to the conventional powered paraglider design. Both performance and safety aspects are assumed to be susceptible for further improvement, and researchers are calling for input from both paragliding and powered paragliding pilots to assist them to identify and explore possible improvements.

Paragliding (PG) and powered paragliding (PPG) pilots who would like to assist this research are asked to use the following link to complete an online survey:Powered Paraglider Improvements Survey

The survey, which closes on the 30th September 2019, aims to obtain information about:

Market share of each flying style

General performance parameters

Feeling of safety during different stages of flight

Need for improvement

Likeliness to re-buy improved gear

Likeliness to switch from unpowered to improved powered

Cranfield University is a British postgraduate and research-based public university specialising in science, engineering, technology and management, and was originally founded as the College of Aeronautics in 1946.

Posted: 18 July 2019
By: Paul Dancey

Problems at Pyla

The FFVL reports that the Dune de Pyla is under great stress from overcrowding. In the last few years increasing pilot numbers, bad practices (launching in high winds, poor airmanship, no helmets, etc) and numerous accidents have put the site at risk of permanent closure.

The FFVL asks all pilots to follow the widely publicised flying instructions and regulations, notably the new registration procedures for non-local groups, either French or foreign. Visiting pilots, whether individuals or groups now have an obligation to register with the FFVL. An online calendar at this address allows local site managers to regulate the number of visiting pilots - if there are already too many you will need to change your dates.

A maximum of ten pilots (including organisers) in a group, and 50 pilots using the site at one time, will be enforced, and unregistered groups will be asked to leave if the maximum number is exceeded. Professional group leaders are also reminded that all EU citizens wishing to work independently in France as sports educators are obliged to register on the French Ministry of Sports website. Full details of the Rules and Regulations for Paragliding and Hang gliding at Pyla are available on the FFVL website.

Posted: 10 July 2019
By: J. Schofield

New Paramotor Code

A neat document document is now available outlining the legalities of flying paramotors. At A4-folded size, among other topics it offers an overview of minimum heights and distances, the use of air charts, observance of airspace and legal in-flight visibility. The basic principle is 'Be safe, be aware, be legal, be insured, and see and be seen'.

The document, funded by the CAA and produced by the BHPA, follows a meeting between Association staff and the CAA's GA unit last October to discuss issues of paramotor pilots infringing airspace, and numerous reports of them breaking the low-flying rules.

The Paramotor Code is modelled on the CAA's successful Drone Code campaign. The CAA hope to inform non-BHPA paramotor pilots (who might not have been trained in airlaw) of the existence of the relevant rules and regulations. The objective is to encourage UK paramotor users to access the information they need about how to fly their aircraft safely and legally, without endangering others in the air or on the ground.

5,000 copies of the Paramotor Code, initially launched at Parafest in July, will be made available to clubs, dealers and manufacturers operating outside the ambit of the BHPA. Copies of the print version can be obtained from the BHPA office; it can also be downloaded as a pdf document on the Paramotor Code Website.

It is worth noting that the CAA's Enforcement team is now actively prosecuting pilots who break the law; their options include seeking the forfeiture and destruction of paramotoring equipment.